“No other city does this, or even something like this. It’s a totally unique dining experience. Actually, there are no other cities that I know of that could even pull something like this off.”​Executive Director of the Sunnyvale Downtown Association, Joel Wyrik, is talking about the return of the popular Jazz & Beyond Series, now back for its seventh year. Every Saturday, 5:30-8:30, from July 9 through August 27, South Murphy Street is closed, a stage and tables are set up, and diners can enjoy jazz while ordering food from 20+ nearby restaurants. The delightfully special appeal of this is that it is an actual sit-down, dining experience where everyone in your party can order what they want from any of the restaurants.

Order What You Want, From Where You WantIn the mood for a Middle Eastern appetizer, a Chinese entrée and a gelato for dessert? No problem. The kids want hot dogs, dad wants bar-b-que, and mom is looking for seafood? No problem. The menu and phone numbers are on the tables. You simply call and place your order and waiters will bring it to your table.

Sunnyvale is fortunate to have the perfect mix of elements to make something like this possible: 1) there is a one-block street with a dense concentration of restaurants, 2) the street can be closed without interfering with normal commerce and traffic, 3) there is good cell phone signal and wifi, and 4) there is an established business group that has the organization and desire to give customers a unique dining experience. The perfect Sunnyvale climate makes it that much nicer.

Of course, the key element in all this is that the jazz is terrific. Popular jazz musicians – known names from throughout the Bay Area – are booked for each week, and they perform while you eat and enjoy the downtown Sunnyvale experience.

Great food. Great Music. Altogether, a Great Time“This is our way of saying thank you to the community, to our customers,” Joel explains. “It’s a wonderful way to spend a Saturday evening. A lot of fun and great music.”

Sponsored by Broadcom and produced by the Sunnyvale Downtown Association, Jazz & Beyond is fun, interesting, and perfect for families, dates, groups of friends, or even a special night out for mom and dad.

There is ample free parking at Macy’s, CalTrain and at Plaza del Sol. Beer and wine are available, as are the normal restaurant/bars along the street. Admission is free, and if you want to bring a stadium chair and enjoy the music without buying dinner, that’s fine too.

Check out this season’s 2016 entertainment lineup on the Sunnyvale Downtown Association website and Facebook page.

Jazz & Beyond is a great gift for our community and an experience as unique as Sunnyvale itself.

Sunnyvale Summer Music Series + Market Great live music. Awesome food. Outdoor dance floor. Amazing company! The Sunnyvale Summer Series Music + Market is back and ready for another terrific season!

Since 1998, this weekly summer fest has become a community tradition. Families, new residents, and nearby workers all know that this is the place to be every Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 8:30, through August 31.

Bands, Beer, Wine, Food, Friends and FunCheck out the 2016 line-up of bands on the Downtown Sunnyvale website. Thanks to community sponsors, you can enjoy beer/wine, and many vendors, in addition to great music. The event is organized by the Sunnyvale’s Downtown Association.

According to Joe Antuzzi, the event is like a yearly reunion of friends. Lots of new people come, of course, but local residents and former Sunnyvale residents love to attend to catch up. Everywhere you go you see bear hugs as friends reunite and hear a lot of greetings like, “Hey! How's it going, long time no see!” As well as work groups and whole families enjoying summer nights.

It Takes a VillageOwner of il Postale, a founder (and current Chairman of the Board) of the Sunnyvale Downtown Association, Joe has been among the core group of business owners who make the event come about. “The City of Sunnyvale along with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Specialty Waste, Coors Light and @WalmartLabs, sponsor the event and it is the downtown business owners that donate thousands of hours to make this great event happen.”

“We were among the first of the northern California cities to do a weekly summer music series,” says Joe, comparing the event to a great outdoor dining and dancing venue.

It’s EasyBring a lounge chair if you like and children of all ages are welcome but please leave your four-legged ones at home (service and therapy dogs are of course welcome). Outside beverages are not allowed so take advantage of the local options. Beer and wine are available for $5 (chardonnay, white zinfandel, and cabernet all from The California Winery).